If you saw a horse with black-and-white stripes, you might think you were “seeing things.” But you would be seeing a zebra. Zebras are a kind of horse. They walk, trot, canter, and gallop just as horses do. Zebras live only in Africa.

There are three species (kinds) of zebras: Grévy’s zebra, the mountain zebra, and the plains zebra (also known as Burchell’s zebra). Each kind of zebra has its own pattern of stripes. And you can tell individual zebras apart. No two zebras have exactly the same stripes.

WHY DO ZEBRAS HAVE STRIPES?

Some scientists think zebra stripes act as protection. Zebras like to hang out together in groups. When zebras are feeding together, the stripes can confuse an attacking animal. The stripes make it hard for a lion or hyena to pick out one zebra in the crowd. The stripes also break up the zebra’s outline and make zebras hard to see at a distance.

Other scientists think zebras can tell each other apart by their stripes. The stripes might help zebras find family members and friends.

Each species of zebra has a different pattern of stripes. The Grévy’s zebra has narrow stripes set closely together. The mountain zebra has wider stripes. The plains zebra has the widest stripes of all. The plains zebra also has stripes that wrap around from its back to its belly. The other two kinds of zebras have white bellies. The plains zebra sometimes has faint gray stripes between the black stripes on its sides.

THE BODY OF A ZEBRA

Zebras are usually smaller than horses. The mountain zebra is the smallest zebra. These zebras are about 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) high at the shoulders. Plains zebras are slightly larger. Grévy’s zebra is the largest zebra. It stands about 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) high at the shoulder.

Zebras have manes that stick straight up from their necks. A zebra’s tail is shorter than a horse’s tail.

Zebras can hear very well. They turn their ears and big eyes toward the source of any sound. They are always on the lookout for danger. How zebras hold their ears helps to show what mood they are in. A zebra that flicks its ears back and forth is upset.

Zebras do not have a very good sense of smell. However, they can smell smoke. Smoke might mean the grassland where they live is on fire.

WHAT DO ZEBRAS EAT?

Like other members of the horse family, zebras are grazing animals. They feed on coarse grass. Zebras have chisel-shaped teeth at the front of the mouth to bite off the grass and large molars (back teeth) for grinding up food.

Zebras spend over half their time eating. In a single day, a herd of zebras may wander more than 12 miles (20 kilometers) in search of food. While some zebras have their heads down munching on grass, others are on the lookout for danger. Some zebras also stand lookout while other zebras lie down and sleep.

FAMILY LIFE OF ZEBRAS

Zebras form small family units. A zebra female, or mare, is pregnant for about 12 months. She usually gives birth to one foal at a time. The newborn foal feeds on its mother’s milk for up to a year.

The family units of the plains and mountain zebra are very stable. An adult male, or stallion, heads the family. A family can have up to six adult females or mares. The mares often remain in the group for life. The stallion helps protect all the mares and foals in the family unit. Sometimes a younger male may drive out the stallion.

When the animals are on the move, the oldest mare is first in line, followed by her foals. The other mares and foals line up behind by age. The stallion brings up the rear.

A family unit of Grévy’s zebras is usually made up of a nursing mare and one or two of her foals. Stallions help look after their own foals. Adults do get together in groups, but each mare comes and goes as she pleases.

All zebras like physical contact. They groom each other by nibbling on each other’s fur. They flick their tails to keep flies away from each other’s faces.

THREATS TO ZEBRAS

The main natural enemies of zebras are lions, hyenas, and other wild animals. However, people are a greater threat to zebras. People hunt zebras. They hunted a kind of zebra called the quagga until the animal died out.

Today, Grévy’s zebra and the mountain zebra are endangered. People still hunt them for meat and hides. People turn the lands where zebras live into farms and ranches. This leaves fewer places for zebras to live